Protective Articles

ABSTRACT

A protective article is disclosed including a sheet with a first surface, and at least one adhesive portion arranged on the first surface. The adhesive is a water-based adhesive, such as a water-based acrylic adhesive, that allows the sheet to be non-permanently adhered to an object. The adhesive may be sprayed, rolled, printed, or stamped onto the first surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/537,982filed Jun. 20, 2017, which is the U.S. national phase of InternationalApplication No. PCT/EP2015/060734 filed May 14, 2015, which claimspriority to United Kingdom Patent Application Nos. 1422969.4 and1504973.7, filed Dec. 22, 2014, and Mar. 24, 2015, respectively, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to protective articles for protectingobjects or parts thereof from damage and/or being tarnished. Morespecifically, the invention relates to protective articles configured tobe removably adhered to an object being protected.

The invention also relates to methods of manufacture of and apparatusfor the manufacture of such protective articles.

There are many situations where a protective article may be convenientlyused to protect a more expensive object, e.g. from spills or dirt. Forinstance, a bib or a napkin may be used to protect a diner's clothes. Inother cases, an object such as a piece of furniture may need to beprotected, as in the case of a table cloth or a place mat.

Generally, this protection may be achieved by placing a sheet, typicallyof paper or cloth, across or over the object to be protected, forexample placing a napkin across the lap, or a table cloth across atable. However, these sheets of material are liable to slip or fall off,leaving parts of the object exposed. In other circumstances, theprotective garment may have to be tied to the object, as is the case ofa bib. This can be particularly difficult for people with reducedmobility or dexterity.

In the case of napkins, it may be inconvenient and/or difficult for aperson to pick up and replace a napkin that has fallen off his/her lap.This may be especially so if, for example, the person is eating outsideand a breeze is blowing, or is in a restricted space such as on board atrain, bus, boat or aeroplane, or the person has restricted mobility ordexterity, e.g. due to illness or injury.

To give another example, when sitting eating a meal people typicallyplace a napkin on their lap or tuck a napkin into their clothes toprevent any misplaced food/drink from coming into contact with theirclothes thereby causing stains. However, napkins tend to slide off alltypes of clothing, in particular sheer materials such as silk andtherefore do not provide the protection outlined above when needed mostfor example when wearing an expensive dress at a dinner party.

Applying adhesive to the napkin could mitigate, alleviate or solve oneor more these problems.

In this regard, it is known to apply double sided sticky tape to anapkin. However, applying the double sided sticky tape requires acertain degree of human dexterity which may only be copied by a complexmachine. Also, waste is produced during the implementation of thissolution because the material peeled away from the double sided stickytape in order to expose the adhesive needs to be disposed of.Furthermore, double sided sticky tape is expensive. These three factorsprohibit the implementation of this known solution on a mass scale.

Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,316, DE20306817 and DE202004017373 disclose napkinswith adhesive portions that can be adhered to clothing.

WO2011/039533 discloses a napkin. On a first surface of the napkin firstand second adhesive portions are adhered so that they are brought intoengagement with each other when the sheet is folded in half along afirst fold. The adhesive is of a type that will allow the first andsecond adhesive portions to separate and allow the sheet to be adheredto an object such as clothing.

It is known to provide removable covers or backing strips to protect theadhesive until the protective article, e.g. napkin, is required to beadhered to an object. However, these covers increase the volume requiredto pack, transport and/or store napkins or the like, which increases thecost of the napkins. For cheap, disposable items such as paper napkins,this extra cost can be a significant fraction of the cost ofmanufacture. This extra cost may also discourage consumers frompurchasing an adhesive napkin, rather than a cheaper, non-adhesivealternative.

Adhesive napkins would appear to be useful items. However, to date, nocommercially successful adhesive napkin has been developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to address one or more of theshortcomings mentioned herein associated with known protective articles,e.g. napkins, and their manufacture.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided aprotective article comprising a sheet with a first surface and at leastone adhesive portion arranged on the first surface. The adhesive portioncomprises a water-based adhesive that allows the sheet to benon-permanently adhered to an object.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.

The water-based adhesive may comprise an emulsion. In an embodiment, thewater-based adhesive may comprise at least 40 parts by weight or atleast 50 parts by weight of a water-based acrylic adhesive emulsion. Inan embodiment, the water-based adhesive may comprise up to 80 parts byweight or up to 90 parts by weight of a water-based acrylic adhesiveemulsion.

A suitable water-based acrylic adhesive may be available in Bostik'sAquagrip® range of adhesives.

The use of a water-based adhesive may provide several advantages, duringmanufacture and use of the protective article. Advantageously, awater-based adhesive may be relatively safe for users. For instance, awater-based adhesive may not be harmful or irritating to the skin and/ormay not be harmful or irritating if it is accidentally licked or eatenby a human or an animal or comes into contact with food which issubsequently eaten.

A water-based adhesive may be relatively safe and easy to handle withinthe manufacturing environment, e.g. because the water-based adhesivetypically will not be flammable. In addition, the water-based adhesivemay be applied to the surface of the sheet in ambient air, rather thanin a controlled atmosphere, as would be the case with adhesive systemscomprising more volatile or harmful solvents. Accordingly, the cost ofmanufacture may be relatively low.

Conveniently, the water-based adhesive may be particularly well suitedto being applied on to the surface of the sheet by spraying. Sprayingcan be used to apply the adhesive relatively rapidly on to the firstsurface of the sheet. Accordingly, a production rate of the protectivearticle may be maintained that are comparable with the production rateof similar protective articles not having any adhesive portions.

The or each adhesive portion may be sprayed on to the first surface ofthe sheet.

As an alternative to spraying, rolling may be used to apply adhesive tothe surface of the sheet. Rolling may allow even easier and more rapidapplication of the adhesive than spraying, particularly when theadhesive is to be applied as a single strip.

Further alternative methods of applying the adhesive to the surface ofthe sheet include printing and stamping of the adhesive onto the surfaceof the sheet. These methods may have the advantage of allowing theadhesive to be applied in a pattern.

In contrast, spraying, rolling, printing, and stamping typically cannotbe used to apply a hot melt adhesive on to a surface. Furtherdisadvantages of hot melt adhesives include the relative difficulty andrisk involved in handling the adhesive and the consequential need formore expensive and complicated manufacturing equipment.

The or each adhesive portion may have any suitable shape, e.g. apolygonal shape or a curvilinear shape having one or more curved sides.For instance, the or each adhesive portion may be triangular,quadrilateral, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal,octagonal, elliptical, circular or semicircular. The or each adhesiveportion may have the form of an elongate strip. At least a portion ofthe elongate strip may be straight, zig-zagged, curved or wavy.

A plurality of adhesive portions may be arranged on the first surface.

Colour may be added to the water-based adhesive by the addition of oneor more colouring agents, dyes or pigments. Advantageously, the additionof colour may make the adhesive portion(s) more noticeable for users,and/or may allow the adhesive portion(s) to match a colour or pattern onthe first surface of the sheet.

The colour of the adhesive portion(s) may be controlled by varying theratios and amounts of any colouring agents, dyes and/or pigmentsincluded in the water-based adhesive.

The ability to add colour to the water-based adhesive is a furtheradvantage of water-based adhesive over other adhesives, in particularhot melt adhesives. Colour cannot readily be added to a hot meltadhesive.

The sheet may be flexible, semi-rigid or rigid. The sheet may befoldable due to being flexible and/or along one or more specific foldlines.

In an embodiment, the sheet may be folded. For instance, the sheet maybe folded in half.

The sheet may be folded such that a first portion of the first surfacefaces a second portion of the first surface.

When the sheet is folded such that a first portion of the first surfacefaces a second portion of the first surface, a first adhesive portionand a second adhesive portion may be adapted to engage each other. Thewater-based adhesive is selected such that it is of a type that willallow the first and second adhesive portions to be separated when thesheet is unfolded, in use, and allow the sheet to be adhered to anobject.

Alternatively or additionally, when the sheet is folded such that afirst portion of the first surface faces a second portion of the firstsurface, at least one adhesive portion arranged on the first portion ofthe first surface may be brought into engagement with the second portionof the first surface at a location absent an adhesive portion. Thewater-based adhesive is selected such that is of a type that will allowthe at least one adhesive portion arranged on the first portion of thefirst surface and the second portion of the first surface to beseparated when the sheet is unfolded, in use, and allow the sheet to beadhered to an object.

Embodiments in which, after folding, the or each adhesive portionengages a portion of the first surface of the sheet absent adhesive mayadvantageously be relatively easier to manufacture, since a loweraccuracy in application of the adhesive may be tolerated than whenmanufacturing an embodiment, in which after folding, two adhesiveportions engage each other. Another benefit may be that less force maybe required, in use, to unfold an embodiment, in which the or eachadhesive portion engages a portion of the first surface of the sheet ata location absent adhesive than to unfold an embodiment in which twoadhesive portions engage each other.

In an embodiment, the sheet may comprise a first and a second adhesiveportion, the first and second adhesive portions being adapted to engageeach other when the sheet is folded, e.g. along a first fold. In anembodiment, the adhesive portion(s) may be arranged symmetrically abouta fold line, e.g. the first fold. One or more adhesive portions, e.g.the first and second adhesive portions, may form a strip of adhesiveextending a distance along the first surface. In an embodiment, thestrip of adhesive may extend substantially perpendicularly to the firstfold. The strip of adhesive may be located on an edge or next to an edgeof the first surface.

By folding the sheet of material as above, the adhesive portion may beprotected until such time as the protective article is required to beused. Thus, removable covers or backing strips may not be required.

However, in some embodiments, one or more adhesive portions may becovered at least partially by a removable cover. The or each removablecover may have a tab portion adapted to be grasped by a user.

The sheet may have been folded prior to application of adhesive.

In an embodiment, the sheet may be folded more than once.

The sheet of material may comprise a second fold. This may be desirable,for example, for packing one or more of the protective articles into apackage. The package may be of a standardly sold size for a givenprotective article.

In an embodiment, one or more adhesive portions may be arranged on asecond surface of the sheet.

The sheet may be made from any suitable material, e.g. card, cloth,woven fabric, non-woven fabric, plastic, or single or multiple plies ofpaper.

The protective article may comprise a protective garment. The protectivearticle may comprise: a napkin, a dental napkin, a napkin for medicaluse such as a surgical napkin, an apron, a bib, a table cloth, acoaster, a place mat, a furniture cover for indoor or outdoor use or awindscreen cover for a vehicle.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided amethod of manufacture of a protective article, the method comprising thesteps of:

-   -   providing a sheet with a first surface; and    -   applying at least one adhesive portion on to the first surface;    -   wherein the or each adhesive portion comprises a water-based        adhesive that allows the sheet of material to be non-permanently        adhered to an object.

In an embodiment, the adhesive portion(s) may be applied on to the firstsurface from any direction. For instance, the adhesive portion(s) may beapplied on to the first surface from either side of the sheet, e.g. fromabove or from below.

In an embodiment, applying the at least one adhesive portion on to thefirst surface may comprise spraying the water-based adhesive. Thewater-based adhesive may be sprayed from one or more spray heads.

In an alternative embodiment, applying the at least one adhesive portionon to the first surface may comprise rolling the water-based adhesiveonto the first surface. In further alternative embodiments, applying theat least one adhesive portion on to the first surface may compriseprinting or stamping the water-based adhesive.

The rate of application of the water-based adhesive may be variable. Forinstance, the rate of application of the water-based adhesive may bevaried “on the fly” (i.e. without halting the carrying out of themethod) or from one manufacturing run to the next.

The properties of the water-based adhesive, e.g. chemistry, compositionand/or colour, may be variable. For instance, the properties of thewater-based adhesive may be varied “on the fly” (i.e. without haltingthe carrying out of the method) or from one manufacturing run to thenext.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.The water-based adhesive may comprise one or more colouring agents, dyesand/or pigments.

In an embodiment, the water-based adhesive may be mixed prior toapplication on to the sheet. Alternatively, two or more components ofthe water-based adhesive may be applied on to the sheet separately andallowed to mix during and/or after application.

In an embodiment, the method may comprise the step of folding the sheet,e.g. along a first fold, such that either an adhesive portion is broughtinto engagement with an adhesive-free portion of the first surface, orsuch that a first adhesive portion is brought into engagement with asecond adhesive portion.

The sheet may be initially folded before the application of theadhesive, e.g. such that the first surface comprises the outward face ofa folded sheet of material.

In embodiments comprising a first and second adhesive portion, theadhesive portions may be applied, e.g. sprayed, rolled, printed, orstamped, such that the first and second adhesive portions form a stripof adhesive extending a distance along the first surface. For instance,the strip of adhesive may be located on an edge or next to an edge ofthe first surface.

The method may additionally comprise a step of folding a second fold inthe first surface.

The method may comprise the step of drying the at least one adhesiveportion. Drying may be accomplished by leaving the sheet to rest inambient air for a period of time and/or applying heat from a heatsource. For instance, the heat source may comprise an infra-red (IR)heat source.

In accordance with a third aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for applying adhesive to a sheet comprising: an adhesiveapplying means operable to spray a water-based adhesive on to a firstsurface of the sheet, so as to provide at least one adhesive portion onthe first surface of the sheet. The water-based adhesive allows, in use,the sheet to be non-permanently adhered to an object.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.The water-based adhesive may comprise one or more colouring agents, dyesand/or pigments.

The adhesive applying means may comprise one or more spray heads.

The adhesive applying means may be operable to vary, e.g. in accordancewith a predetermined program or on demand from an operator, the rate ofspraying of the water-based adhesive and/or the properties, e.g.chemistry, composition and/or colour, of the water-based adhesive.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for applying adhesive to a sheet comprising an adhesiveapplying means operable to roll a water-based adhesive on to a firstsurface of the sheet, so as to provide at least one adhesive portion onthe first surface of the sheet, the water-based adhesive allowing, inuse, the sheet to be non-permanently adhered to an object.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.The water-based adhesive may comprise one or more colouring agents, dyesand/or pigments.

The adhesive applying means may comprise one or more rollers.

In some embodiments, the adhesive may be held in a reservoir beforebeing applied to a roller. Adhesive may be applied to the roller bydipping the roller into the reservoir, or in alternative embodimentsadhesive may be pumped from the reservoir and applied to the surface ofthe roller.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise an adhesiveremoving means operable to remove excess adhesive from the roller.Excess adhesive may be removed from the roller before adhesive is rolledonto the first surface. The adhesive removing means may for example be ascraper blade, or another roller.

In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for applying adhesive to a sheet comprising: an adhesiveapplying means operable to print a water-based adhesive on to a firstsurface of the sheet, so as to provide at least one adhesive portion onthe first surface of the sheet, the water-based adhesive allowing, inuse, the sheet to be non-permanently adhered to an object.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.The water-based adhesive may comprise one or more colouring agents, dyesand/or pigments.

In accordance with a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided anapparatus for applying adhesive to a sheet comprising: an adhesiveapplying means operable to stamp a water-based adhesive on to a firstsurface of the sheet, so as to provide at least one adhesive portion onthe first surface of the sheet, the water-based adhesive allowing, inuse, the sheet to be non-permanently adhered to an object.

The water-based adhesive may comprise a water-based acrylic adhesive.The water-based adhesive may comprise one or more colouring agents, dyesand/or pigments

In some embodiments of the apparatus according to the fourth, fifth orsixth aspects of the invention, the adhesive applying means may beoperable to vary, e.g. in accordance with a predetermined program or ondemand from an operator, the rate of application of the water-basedadhesive and/or the properties, e.g. chemistry, composition and/orcolour, of the water-based adhesive.

The apparatus according to the third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects ofthe invention may comprise a delivery means for delivering water-basedadhesive to the adhesive applying means.

The apparatus may comprise a storage container for the water-basedadhesive. The or a delivery means may be operable to deliver thewater-based adhesive from the storage container to the adhesive applyingmeans.

The apparatus may comprise sheet delivery means configured to place thesheet so as to present the first surface of the sheet to the adhesiveapplying means. The sheet delivery means may be configured to be move,in use, the sheet relative to the adhesive applying means. Alternativelyor additionally, the adhesive applying means may be movable relative tothe sheet. The first surface of the sheet may be presented to theadhesive applying means in any suitable orientation.

In an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise one or more folding meansfor folding the sheet along a fold. For instance, the apparatus maycomprise one or more folding means configured to fold the sheet alongone or more folds after application of the adhesive portion(s).Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus may comprise an initialfolding means configured to fold the sheet prior to application of theadhesive portion(s).

In one embodiment of the apparatus, a first folding means may beoperable to fold the sheet of material along a first fold such that theat least one adhesive portion is brought into engagement with anadhesive-free portion of the first surface.

In an alternative embodiment of the apparatus, the adhesive applyingmeans may be operable to spray, roll, print, or stamp at least a firstand a second adhesive portion onto the first surface; and the or a firstfolding means may be operable to fold the sheet of material along afirst fold such that the first and second adhesive portions are broughtinto engagement with each other. The adhesive applying means may beoperable to apply the first and second portions together to form a stripof adhesive extending a distance along the first surface. The strip ofadhesive may be located on an edge of the sheet or adjacent to an edgeof the sheet.

The apparatus may further comprise a drying means arranged to dry theadhesive portion(s) on the first surface. The drying means may belocated in line with the adhesive applying means. In an embodiment, thedrying means may be located downstream of the adhesive applying meansand upstream of one or more folding means.

The drying means may comprise any suitable heat source, e.g. aninfra-red (IR) heat source such as an IR lamp. The heat source may becontrollable to vary the drying rate. In some embodiments, fast dryingof the adhesive portion(s) may be desired, in order to maximise the rateof manufacture.

The apparatus may further comprise cutting means for cutting the sheetof material. For example, adhesive may be applied by the apparatus to alarge sheet of material, which is subsequently cut to appropriatedimensions for the protective article. Alternatively, a sheet ofmaterial may be cut into sheets of appropriate dimensions prior toapplication of the adhesive.

In use, a large sheet of material may be continuously fed into theapparatus. The adhesive applying means may be operable continuously ordiscontinuously, depending on the required arrangement of adhesiveportion(s).

The apparatus may comprise an embossing means, a printing means and/or astamping means for imparting a surface texture or decoration to thesheet.

The apparatus for applying adhesive may be part of an apparatus formanufacturing a protective article. The apparatus for applying adhesivemay be retro-fitted to an existing apparatus for manufacturing aprotective article.

The apparatus may be configured to produce protective garments such asnapkins, dental napkins, aprons, table cloths or furniture covers. Theapparatus may comprise a new machine, or may be retrofitted to anexisting machine for producing protective garments such as napkins,dental napkins, aprons, table cloths or furniture covers.

A seventh aspect of the invention provides a manufacturing lineincluding an apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention.

A further aspect of the invention provides a protective articlecomprising:

-   -   a sheet having a first surface; and    -   an adhesive portion arranged on a first portion of the first        surface;    -   wherein the sheet is folded such that the first portion of the        first surface faces a second portion of the first surface,        thereby bringing the adhesive portion into engagement with an        adhesive-free portion of the second portion of the first        surface, the adhesive being of a type that will allow the        adhesive portion to separate from the second portion of the        first surface and allow the sheet to be adhered to an object.

A further aspect of the invention provides a computer-readable mediumcarrying instructions for the manufacture of a protective articleaccording to the invention. In an embodiment, the instructions may beexecutable in a three-dimensional (3D) printer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in further detail below by way of example andwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according to afirst embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of a protective article according toanother example embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a protective article according to anexample embodiment of the invention. The protective article comprises asheet of material 100. The protective article may be intended for use asa protective garment, such as a napkin, dental napkin, apron, bib, tablecloth or furniture cover. The sheet of material 100 may be flexibleand/or may be made from any suitable material, including card, cloth,woven fabric, plastic, or single or multiple plies of paper.

The sheet of material 100 has a first surface 101 with two adhesiveportions 102 arranged thereon. The adhesive portions comprise awater-based adhesive, which may be a water-based acrylic adhesive.

The adhesive portions 102 may have been produced by spraying, rolling,printing, or stamping the water-based adhesive on to the first surface101. The water-based adhesive may have been sprayed, rolled, printed, orstamped from above or below the sheet of material 100. The water-basedadhesive may have been sprayed at any suitable angle to the firstsurface 101.

FIG. 2 illustrates schematically another embodiment of a protectivearticle according to the invention. The protective article comprises asheet of material 200 comprising a single adhesive portion 202 that hasbeen applied to a first surface 201 of the sheet of material 200.Adhesive portion 202 may be sprayed, rolled, printed or stamped onto thefirst surface 201. The sheet of material 200 is folded (as indicated bycurved arrow 204) along a first fold 203 such that the adhesive portion202 is brought into engagement with another part of the first surface201. The adhesive portion 202 may be disengaged from the first surface201 by unfolding the sheet of material 200.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 may be advantageous over other methods ofcovering the adhesive portion(s). It does not require a cover to beattached to the adhesive portion 202, which would increase the thicknessof the folded sheet of material 200. Additionally, as adhesive portion202 may engage with any part of the first surface 201, less accuracy isrequired in folding the sheet of material 200, and no restriction isplaced on the position or length of the first fold 203. Furthermore,when the sheet of material 200 is in use, for example as a napkin, ifadhesive portion 202 is not required, a small piece of the first surface201 may be folded to engage with it, such that the adhesive portion iscovered but the majority of the sheet of material 200 is still availablefor its intended use, for example preventing food from getting onclothes in the case of a napkin.

FIG. 3 illustrates schematically an alternative embodiment of aprotective article according to the invention. The protective articlecomprises a sheet of material 300. In this embodiment, a first portionof adhesive 302 a and a second portion of adhesive 302 b are applied toa first surface 301 of the sheet of material 300. Adhesive portions 302a and 302 b may be sprayed, rolled, printed, or stamped onto the firstsurface 301. The sheet of material 300 is folded (as indicated by curvedarrow 304) along a first fold 303 such that the first adhesive portion302 a and second adhesive portion 302 b are brought into engagement witheach other. The adhesive portions 302 a and 302 b may be disengaged byunfolding the sheet of material 300.

In some embodiments, the adhesive strength of two adhesive portions 302a and 302 b brought into engagement with each other may be greater thanthe adhesive strength of one adhesive portion brought into engagementwith an adhesive-free portion of the first surface (e.g. as shown inFIG. 2). In some situations, this may be preferable to prevent the sheetof material 300 unfolding until desired. In other situations, such aswhere the protective article is a napkin for use by the elderly, theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 may be preferable, if less force isrequired to open the napkin. In any event, it will be appreciated thatthe ease with which the protective article can be unfolded, in use, maybe varied and/or controlled by modifying the properties of the adhesiveportion(s), e.g. the chemistry, amount and/or concentration of adhesiveand/or the size and/or arrangement of the adhesive portion(s).

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically another embodiment of a protectivearticle according to the invention. The protective article comprises asheet of material 400 with a strip of adhesive 404 extending across afirst surface 401 of the sheet of material 400, parallel and relativelyclose to an edge of the first surface. The strip of adhesive 404 may belocated on an edge or next to an edge of the first surface 401. Thesheet of material 400 is folded (as indicated by curved arrow 405) alonga first fold 403 that is perpendicular to the adhesive strip 404, suchthat one part of the adhesive strip 404 is brought into engagement withanother part of the adhesive strip 404. For example, and as shown inFIG. 4, the first fold 403 may bisect the strip of adhesive 404 suchthat half of the strip of adhesive 404 covers the other half of thestrip of adhesive 404 when the sheet of material 400 is folded.

In some situations, a user of the protective article may temporarily notwish to use the adhesive strip to adhere the sheet of material to anobject. By locating a strip of adhesive near an edge of the firstsurface, the sheet may be folded such that the adhesive strip is coveredby the first surface, whilst leaving the majority of the first surfaceavailable to cover an object.

FIG. 5 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a protective articleaccording to the invention. The protective article comprises a sheet ofmaterial 500 with an adhesive strip 504 applied substantially paralleland close to an edge of a first surface 501 of the sheet of material500. Adhesive strip 504 may be sprayed, rolled, printed or stamped ontothe first surface 501. A portion 505 of the first surface 501 is locatedbetween the adhesive strip 504 and the edge of the first surface 501.The portion 505 may be folded (as indicated by curved arrow 507) along afold 506, such that portion 505 covers adhesive strip 504 withoutcovering the rest of the first surface 501.

During manufacture of the protective article, after a first fold hasbeen made to cover at least partially the adhesive portion(s), at leastone further fold, e.g. a second fold, may be made.

FIG. 6 illustrates schematically another exemplary embodiment of aprotective article according to the invention. The protective articlecomprises a sheet of material 600, with an adhesive strip 604 sprayedonto a first surface 601 of the sheet of material 600. Adhesive strip604 may be sprayed, rolled, printed or stamped onto the first surface601 A second surface 607 comprises the opposing face of sheet ofmaterial 600 from the first surface 601.

The sheet of material 600 is folded along a first fold 603 in the mannerdescribed in respect of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. The firstsurface 601 is covered during this fold, so that the second surface 607is now the outward face of the sheet of material 600.

The sheet of material 600 is subsequently folded (as indicated by curvedarrow 609) along a second fold 608 such that one part of the secondsurface 607 is brought into contact with another part of the secondsurface 607. In the illustrated example, the second fold 608 isperpendicular to the first fold 603. One or more further folds, e.g. asecond fold, may be desirable to reduce the areal dimensions of thesheet of material for packing and transportation.

It should be understood that a second fold may be made in any otherembodiment of the protective article, and particularly in theembodiments illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Alternatively, a fold may be made such that the second surface 607 isbrought into contact with itself prior to the application of theadhesive portion 604 on first surface 601.

In embodiments such as this, the first surface on to which the adhesiveportion(s) is/are applied comprises the outward face of a folded sheetof material. Optionally, one or more further folds may be made afterapplication of the adhesive portion.

FIG. 7 illustrates schematically another embodiment of a protectivearticle according to the invention. The protective article comprises asheet of material 700 with a first surface 701 having two adhesiveportions 702 a, 702 b arranged thereon. Each adhesive portion 702 a, 702b is covered by a removable cover 708 a, 708 b. Each removable cover 708a, 708 b has a tab portion 709 a, 709 b that is adapted to be grasped bya user. By pulling on tab portion 709 a, cover 708 a can be removed,exposing adhesive portion 702 a, which can be used to adhere the sheetof material 700 to an object. Similarly, by pulling on tab portion 709b, cover 708 b can be removed, exposing adhesive portion 702 b, whichcan be used to adhere the sheet of material 700 to an object. Theremovable covers 708 a, 708 b may be made of any suitable material, suchas plastic or metal foil.

Although removable covers may add bulk to the protective article, theymay be desirable in some circumstances. For example, they may allow auser to select, in use, only one or some of a plurality of adhesiveportions to be exposed.

In the prior art, delays in applying the adhesive have tended to limitthe rate at which articles can be manufactured. For instance, some(non-aqueous) solvent-based adhesives may require long drying times,thereby slowing down manufacture. Additionally or alternatively, the useof complicated and/or expensive fume evacuation apparatus may berequired when drying such (non-aqueous) solvent-based adhesives, due torelease of potentially harmful substances.

Surprisingly, at least some of these problems can be avoided or at leastalleviated by using a water-based acrylic adhesive. Such an adhesivetypically does not need to be heated in order to be sprayed, rolled,printed, or stamped, reducing energy costs. Furthermore, the adhesivecan be rapidly dried, e.g. in ambient air or, if necessary, by using aheat source such as an energy efficient infrared (IR) lamp. No fumeevacuation apparatus is required.

By using a water-based adhesive, adhesive protective articles can bemanufactured at a rate comparable to the rate of manufacture ofnon-adhesive protective articles. Hence, the manufacture of protectivearticles in accordance with the invention may be commercially viable.

Water-based adhesives, e.g. water-based acrylic adhesives, haveadditional beneficial properties. They are non-flammable, unlike(non-aqueous) solvent-based acrylics, and do not need to be applied in aprotective or controlled atmosphere. They can be coloured, unlike hotmelt adhesives. Colouring of the adhesive may be desired in order tomake the adhesive portion(s) more visible to a user, in order tofacilitate positioning of the protective article on the object it is tocover. Alternatively, colouring may be used to match a colour or patternon the first surface. The water-based adhesive may be coloured by theaddition of one or more colouring agents, pigments and/or dyes.

An additional advantage of water-based adhesives, e.g. water-basedacrylic adhesives, over hot melt adhesives is that water-based adhesivesmay lose a relatively large amount of their volume during the dryingprocess. Thus, an adhesive portion formed of water-based adhesive may bethinner and/or lighter than one formed of a hot melt adhesive. This maybe beneficial, since, when a sheet of material is folded, for example toform the usual twice-folded squares that napkins are conventionallypackaged as, it may be desirable to minimise the additional thicknesscaused by the adhesive portions. Any additional thickness will reducethe number of sheets of material that can be packaged and transportedtogether. Reducing the thickness of the adhesive portion thereforereduces the cost of transportation of the protective articles. It hasbeen found that applying a water-based acrylic adhesive has a negligibleimpact on the resulting thickness of the sheet of material, and so doesnot significantly increase storage and/or transport costs.

Spraying, rolling, printing, or stamping the water-based adhesive on tothe first surface forms a film of adhesive on the first surface. Afterdrying, a first side of the film of adhesive is permanently adhered tothe first surface. A second, opposing side of the film of adhesive mayremovably adhere to an object, another part of the first surface, or toanother adhesive portion. The second side of the film of adhesive may bedisengaged from the object, other part of the first surface or otheradhesive portion by applying manual force to separate the adhesiveportion from the object, other part of the first surface or otheradhesive portion.

When the sheet of material is removed from an object, it should notleave behind any residue. The applicant has found that water-basedacrylic adhesives typically do not leave a residue, and so a protectivearticle comprising a sheet with water-based acrylic adhesive portionsarranged thereon may be more desirable to a user than other forms ofadhesive.

A suitable commercially available water-based acrylic adhesive may beavailable in the Aquagrip® range from Bostik, Inc.

After the adhesive portion has dried, it may be desirable to cover theadhesive portion, for example to prevent dirt from sticking to theadhesive portion.

In embodiments of the invention, the water-based adhesive is of a typethat, when dry, can removably adhere to an object, to an adhesive-freepart of the first surface, and/or to another adhesive portion.

Typically, it may be important that applying the water-based adhesivedoes not slow down the rate at which sheets of material can be produced,and/or does not add significant cost to the manufacture of theprotective article. Conveniently, by using a water-based adhesive, theuse of spraying, rolling, printing or stamping to apply the water-basedadhesive to the surface of the sheet may be facilitated. Spraying,rolling, printing and stamping are examples of a suitably quick andcheap methods of applying adhesive.

An example of a method according to the invention will now be described.Paper is provided on a roll. The roll of paper is unwound and fedcontinuously to an apparatus, where a surface of the paper is presentedtowards a sprayhead. The sprayhead is operated to spray water-basedacrylic adhesive on to the surface of the paper being fed past thesprayhead. After the adhesive has been sprayed on to the surface of thepaper, the paper is fed past an infra-red lamp arranged to dry theadhesive. The paper is then fed through one or more folding means and acutting means to produce a desired article, e.g. an adhesive papernapkin.

In an alternative example, rolling may be used to apply adhesive to thesurface. Rolling may be particularly advantageous for applying adhesiveas a strip across the surface. In this example, the surface of the paperis presented towards a roller. Adhesive is applied to the roller eitherby dipping the roller in a reservoir of adhesive, or by pumping theadhesive from the reservoir onto the roller. Excess adhesive is removedfrom the roller by a scraper blade, leaving a precise layer of adhesiveon the roller. The roller is then be rolled across the surface of thepaper to apply the adhesive to the paper, for example in anapproximately 3 cm wide strip.

An example of an apparatus according to the invention will now bedescribed. The apparatus may be configured to continuously manufacture aplurality of protective articles such as adhesive paper napkins. Theapparatus comprises a means for unwinding paper from a roll and feedingit past a sprayhead such that a surface of the paper is presentedtowards the spyayhead. The sprayhead is operable to spray water-basedacrylic adhesive on to the surface of the paper being fed past thesprayhead. An in-line drying means comprising an infra-red lamp isprovided downstream of the sprayhead. In use, the paper is fed past theinfra-red lamp arranged to dry the adhesive. Further downstream, theapparatus comprises one or more folding means and a cutting meansthrough which the paper is cut to produce the desired articles, e.g.adhesive paper napkins.

In other embodiments, the adhesive may be applied by rolling, printingor stamping the adhesive onto the surface of the paper. For example, thesprayhead of the above exemplary apparatus may be replaced with a rollerfor rolling the adhesive, or means for printing or stamping adhesiveonto the surface of the paper.

It is important to quickly dry the adhesive portions to prevent anyslowing of the rate of manufacture of the protective articles. Thedrying means of the apparatus is operable to rapidly dry the adhesiveportions. The drying means may be an IR source or lamp. IR lamps arehighly energy efficient, and so the drying step does not substantiallyincrease the electricity cost of the manufacturing process. Any suitableheat source may be used as a drying means.

In an embodiment, the apparatus may not comprise a drying means, inwhich case the adhesive portions may be exposed to ambient conditionsfor a suitable length of time for the adhesive portions to dry.

However, in a high volume, continuous manufacturing process, such as inthe manufacture of paper napkins, the provision of an in-line dryingmeans may be preferred, to ensure that production rates can bemaintained.

Non-adhesive paper napkins can be manufactured at rates of as much as350 metres per minute or more. The present invention may allow forcomparable production rates to be achieved in the manufacture ofadhesive paper napkins.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may comprise cutting means forcutting the sheet of into desired dimensions. Typically, the sheet maybe cut after adhesive portions have been applied and all desired foldsmade in the sheet. This may allow adhesive to be applied continuously.For example, when producing the protective article illustrated in FIG.4, a continuous strip of adhesive may be applied to a long sheet ofmaterial 400, which is subsequently cut into smaller pieces. This mayhave the advantage of reducing the amount of control and precisionrequired from the adhesive applying means.

Alternatively, a large source of material may be initially cut intosheets of material of desired dimensions, and adhesive portionssubsequently may be applied to each sheet of material.

Optionally, the adhesive applying means may be turned off so that theapparatus can be used to produce conventional, non-adhesive protectivearticles.

Conveniently, the apparatus may be incorporated into an existing devicefor manufacturing protective articles without adhesive portions.Retrofitting old devices in this way may be more cost effective thanpurchasing a new apparatus for producing protective articles accordingto the invention. As described above, use of water-based acrylicadhesives within the retrofitted device may allow the device to run atthe same rate, or at least at a comparable rate, as before the additionof the new apparatus.

Advantageously, using a water-based acrylic adhesive allows the adhesiveto be sprayed, rolled, printed or stamped directly onto the sheet ofmaterial without requiring heating of the adhesive. This candramatically reduce costs of applying the adhesive. Typically, thewater-based acrylic adhesive may be quick to dry, and so can be used inthe manufacture of protective articles without slowing down the rate ofproduction.

In some embodiments of the invention, two portions of adhesive arearranged on the sheet in such a way that they come into engagement withone another when the sheet is folded. Consequently, for example, anapkin according to the invention can be subsequently unfolded andadhered to an object such as a person or a person's clothes.

Also, because expensive double sided sticky tape need not be used torealise the present invention, the need to dispose of backing strips maybe eliminated. This may provide the advantage of significantly reducingmanufacturing costs, from the high cost of using double-sided tape seenin the prior art.

Furthermore, due to the elimination of the requirement for backingstrips, less dexterity may be required to apply adhesive to a napkin.The present invention may therefore be implemented quicker using lesscomplicated machinery than that which is already known, thus providingthe advantages of further reducing the cost of, and increasing the speedat which, protective articles according to the invention can bemanufactured.

One of the most significant cost factors in the production of napkins istransportation. This results from the very light-weight nature of thisproduct making it inefficient to transport in that the vehicle carryingthe product is capable of carrying significantly heavier goods withinits volume. It is therefore important in the transportation of napkinsthat the packaged product is transported in as compacted and compressedform as possible. The use of double-sided tape (or any other reinforcingtape) will increase the bulk of the napkins within their packagingmeaning that fewer napkins can be transported per unit of volume. Thevolume of and weight of the napkins of the present invention is barelydistinguishable from that of a plain napkin without adhesive andtherefore can be treated exactly like a non-adhesive napkin of the priorart. Indeed once the adhesive has been applied and subsequently foldedso that the adhesive has been covered, the napkin can then be handled inexactly the same manner as a non-adhesive napkin.

It is also the case that heavy woven (non-disposable) napkins are oftenused to reduce the likelihood of them being dislodged since the heavierfabric is less likely to be blown off the lap of the person wearing it.Although the present invention is equally applicable to heavy fabricnapkins, further reducing the likelihood of slippage, the presentinvention means that there may be less need to use such heavy materialwhich may reduce the cost of laundry and/or make disposable napkins amore environmentally sustainable alternative. Furthermore, the same orsimilar advantages may be realised, for example, when applying theinvention to table cloths, coasters and place mats.

Furthermore, the present invention may be of particular use for peopleof limited mobility or in places where mobility is limited. For example,the elderly, people with certain movement limiting disabilities andchildren may easily lose their napkin and not be able to retrieve it.Similarly in cramped conditions, such as on an aeroplane it may not beeasy to reach a dropped napkin. For people who are partially sighted,and for the fully sighted in low light conditions, it is easy to notrealise that a napkin is no longer in position. Because the presentinvention ensures the napkin remains in place this problem isalleviated.

It is envisaged that the present invention could enable a step-change inthe popularity and commercial uptake of adhesive napkins or otherprotective articles. In particular, the present invention may alleviateone or more of the obstacles to cost-effective manufacture of adhesivenapkins or other protective articles.

Protective articles according to the invention may be used in manyapplications and environments. For instance, protective articlesaccording to the invention may be used to protect a person's clothing inthe case of a napkin, dental napkin, or napkin for medical use.Alternatively, objects such as furniture or parts thereof, e.g. tables,sideboards, work surfaces and the like, may be protected using aprotective article according to the invention.

Napkins and other tableware, e.g. coasters, table cloths, place mats,according to the invention may be particularly useful in the cateringand hospitality industries, e.g. for events, in hotels and restaurants,in hospitals and on board aeroplanes, buses, trains or boats such ascruise ships.

While the invention has been disclosed with reference to certainexemplary embodiments, many modifications may be apparent to the personskilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacture of a protectivearticle, the method comprising the steps of: providing a sheet with afirst surface; and applying at least one adhesive portion on to thefirst surface; wherein the or each adhesive portion comprises awater-based adhesive that allows the sheet of material to benon-permanently adhered to an object.
 2. The method according to claim1, wherein the adhesive portion(s) is/are applied on to the firstsurface from either side of the sheet.
 3. The method according to claim1, wherein applying the at least one adhesive portion on to the firstsurface comprises spraying the water-based adhesive, or rolling thewater-based adhesive, or printing the water-based adhesive, or stampingthe water-based adhesive.
 4. The method according to claim 1, whereinthe water-based adhesive comprises a water-based acrylic adhesive. 5.The method according to claim 1, wherein the water-based adhesivecomprises one or more colouring agents, dyes and/or pigments.
 6. Themethod according to claim 1, the method comprising the step of foldingthe sheet such that an adhesive portion is brought into engagement withan adhesive-free portion of the first surface, or such that a firstadhesive portion is brought into engagement with a second adhesiveportion.
 7. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising thestep of initially folding the sheet before the application of theadhesive.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesiveportion(s) is/are applied to form a strip of adhesive extending adistance along the first surface.
 9. The method according to claim 1comprising the step of drying the at least one adhesive portion.
 10. Themethod according to claim 9, wherein drying the at least one adhesiveportion comprises applying heat from a heat source, optionally whereinthe heat source comprises an infra-red heat source.
 11. The methodaccording to claim 1, the method comprising varying the rate ofapplication of the water-based adhesive and/or varying the properties,e.g. chemistry, composition and/or colour, of the water-based adhesive.12. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a sheet comprising: anadhesive applying means operable to spray, roll, print or stamp awater-based adhesive on to a first surface of the sheet, so as toprovide at least one adhesive portion on the first surface of the sheet,the water-based adhesive allowing, in use, the sheet to benon-permanently adhered to an object.
 13. The apparatus according toclaim 12, wherein the adhesive applying means is operable to vary, e.g.in accordance with a predetermined program or on demand from anoperator, the rate of applying of the water-based adhesive and/or theproperties, e.g. chemistry, composition and/or colour, of thewater-based adhesive.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 12 comprisingone or more of: a delivery means for delivering water-based adhesive tothe adhesive applying means; and a storage container for the water-basedadhesive.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 12 comprising one or moreof: a sheet delivery means configured to place the sheet so as topresent the first surface of the sheet to the adhesive applying meansand one of more folding means for folding the sheet along a fold. 16.The apparatus according to claim 12 comprising a drying means arrangedto dry the adhesive portion(s) on the first surface.
 17. The apparatusaccording to claim 16, wherein the drying means comprises a heat source,optionally an infrared heat source.
 18. The apparatus according to claim17, wherein the heat source is controllable to vary the drying rate. 19.The apparatus according to claim 12 comprising one or more of: a cuttingmeans for cutting the sheet of material; and an embossing means, aprinting means and/or a stamping means for imparting a surface textureor decoration to the sheet.
 20. An apparatus for manufacturing aprotective article comprising the apparatus according to claim 12.